Asked by: Lord Benyon (Conservative - Life peer)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what discussions his Department has had with Ofgem to ensure that reductions in the wholesale price of gas are passed on to consumers.
Answered by Matt Hancock
Ministers and officials from the Department meet with Ofgem on a regular basis to discuss a range of issues relating to the gas and electricity markets.
Asked by: Lord Benyon (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of personal allowance increases on those in work.
Answered by David Gauke
The Government has announced successive above inflation increases in the personal allowance this parliament, rising from £6,475 to £10,600 in April 2015 (an increase of 64%).
The increases in the personal allowance since 2010 will reduce income tax paid by typical basic rate taxpayers by £825.
These increases will also reduce income tax paid by someone working full time on the National Minimum Wage by £618.
To date (2014-2015) the increases have benefitted 26 million individuals.
Asked by: Lord Benyon (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to support civic and voluntary organisations that promote integration and greater multi-ethnic understanding.
Answered by Stephen Williams
I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement on integration made by my rt. hon. Friend, the Secretary of State (Eric Pickles) today.
Asked by: Lord Benyon (Conservative - Life peer)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment his Department has made of the cost to businesses of complying with the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme.
Answered by Amber Rudd
The Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) will help large organisations identify savings they can make on energy bills. The scheme is estimated to benefit the UK as a whole by £1.6bn (2015-2030) and participants are expected to save over £250m per year on their bills.
Full details of the costs and benefits of ESOS can be found in the ESOS final stage impact assessment, published at:
Asked by: Lord Benyon (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to check and certify the online selling of Chlorpyrifos.
Answered by Dan Rogerson
Plant protection products (essentially agricultural and horticultural pesticides) may not be placed on the market or used unless they have been authorised. Authorisations include statutory conditions of use which must be followed to ensure that these products are used safely.
National pesticides legislation subjects internet sales of pesticides to all the same legal obligations as over-the-counter sales. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), as the UK pesticides regulator, follows up any concerns raised on internet sales with sellers where possible, to ensure internet sales comply with legal requirements. In order to support compliance with the law, the pesticides distribution sector has produced best practice guidance to raise awareness amongst distributors selling pesticides on the internet.
Asked by: Lord Benyon (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she has taken to ensure bio-security and monitoring protocols are in place to ensure that quagga mussels can be quickly identified and eradicated.
Answered by George Eustice
The likelihood of the arrival of the quagga mussel had been identified by horizon scanning: the Environment Agency discovered its presence during routine monitoring. We are currently exploring options while undertaking further monitoring work to establish its distribution. A local Environment Agency Task Group and a National Freshwater Task Group (with representation from Defra and other GB Administrations) has been set-up to agree and coordinate action. We are working with water companies and continuing to promote positive biosecurity practices amongst recreational water users by asking them to apply the “Check, Clean, Dry” process launched by Defra in 2011, to prevent the entry or slow the spread of aquatic invasive species.
Asked by: Lord Benyon (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that quagga mussels do not spread from the Thames into the River Kennet and other tributaries.
Answered by George Eustice
The likelihood of the arrival of the quagga mussel had been identified by horizon scanning: the Environment Agency discovered its presence during routine monitoring. We are currently exploring options while undertaking further monitoring work to establish its distribution. A local Environment Agency Task Group and a National Freshwater Task Group (with representation from Defra and other GB Administrations) has been set-up to agree and coordinate action. We are working with water companies and continuing to promote positive biosecurity practices amongst recreational water users by asking them to apply the “Check, Clean, Dry” process launched by Defra in 2011, to prevent the entry or slow the spread of aquatic invasive species.
Asked by: Lord Benyon (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to eradicate quagga mussels in the Colne Valley.
Answered by George Eustice
The likelihood of the arrival of the quagga mussel had been identified by horizon scanning: the Environment Agency discovered its presence during routine monitoring. We are currently exploring options while undertaking further monitoring work to establish its distribution. A local Environment Agency Task Group and a National Freshwater Task Group (with representation from Defra and other GB Administrations) has been set-up to agree and coordinate action. We are working with water companies and continuing to promote positive biosecurity practices amongst recreational water users by asking them to apply the “Check, Clean, Dry” process launched by Defra in 2011, to prevent the entry or slow the spread of aquatic invasive species.
Asked by: Lord Benyon (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress his Department has made on implementing the recommendations of the Independent Palliative Care Funding Review, published on 1 July 2011.
Answered by Norman Lamb
In response to the recommendations of the independent Palliative Care Funding Review, we set up eight pilots to collect a range of data on palliative care and to test the review’s recommendations. The pilot phase was completed in March this year.
NHS England is in the process of analysing the data and designing a new palliative care currency framework. Decisions on how best to develop a fair and transparent funding system for palliative care will be based on this evidence.
Asked by: Lord Benyon (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many complaints have been made against the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service in the last three years; and how many such complaints have been upheld.
Answered by Simon Hughes
The following table sets out the number of complaints received by Cafcass in each of the last three years:
Financial Year | Number of complaints |
2011-12 | 1,264 |
2012-13 | 1,496 |
2013-14 | 1,596 |
In 2012 Cafcass simplified their complaints process, reducing the number of stages involved from three to one and ending the classification of complaints as ‘upheld’. Figures for the number of upheld complaints during this period do not, therefore, exist. The focus of the complaints system is now on putting things right for service users while their case is ongoing so that any necessary remedial action can be taken.
The rising trend shown by the figures is, in part, a reflection of the increase in the volume of cases which Cafcass dealt with during this period. However, the main factors which have contributed to the rising trend are Cafcass’ focus on raising awareness of the complaints process for service users.